It was Nensi Dojaka’s moment as she unveiled a long-awaited clothing and lingerie collaboration with Calvin Klein against the lavish Gothic Revival backdrop of the St Pancras Renaissance hotel.
Stefan Larsson, chief executive officer of PVH Corp., Calvin Klein’s parent, was in the front row, along with a bevy of guests decked in the designer’s signature, strappy corsets and bra tops embellished with sparkles and fabric ruffles.
Shortly after the show, Dojaka also went live with her first e-commerce site, which is carrying the new Calvin collab and logging preorders for the spring collection, a marriage of architectural lines and art nouveau flower motifs that nodded to the 19th-century hotel’s interiors.
Those light and dark fluted flowers twisted around the cups of strappy bras and corset tops, and sprouted, here and there, on the legs of black tights.
A pair of delicate orange blooms added a lovely touch to the bodice of the sheer, layered pink and plum gown that closed the show, while burgundy ones burst forth on the bodice of a skinny black dress.
“I start by draping on the mannequin, and the flowers just come naturally. They have always been a motif in my collection, just like the geometrical (shapes),” said the designer.
As for all of those straps and crisscross lines on corsets, Dojaka said she has always been influenced by her enduring love of math. She also takes some cues from her younger sister Sindi, an architect who is now closely involved with the brand.
The strongest looks were the ones where Dojaka used her architectural know-how to create new designs, broaden her repertoire beyond the signature bondage-inspired lingerie, and add more nuance to her offer.
How refreshing to see a snappy black jacket-dress that channeled Calvin Klein in its 1990s heyday and a lineup of demure, draped long-sleeve dresses done in sensual sweeps of claret, pink and mauve, for women who prefer to cover up now and again.
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